


The Jester Returns

by xBooxBooxBear



Series: The Jester Series [2]
Category: The Jester (Short Film 2016)
Genre: Bars and Pubs, Blood, Bondage, Fights, Fluff, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Halloween, Hostage Situations, Kissing, M/M, Magic, Magic Tricks, Mild Gore, Minor Injuries, Non-Consensual Touching, Peer Pressure, Possessive Behavior, Revenge, Stalking, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:13:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23077603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xBooxBooxBear/pseuds/xBooxBooxBear
Summary: Sequel to A Little Appreciation.A year has passed since the young man encountered the Jester and he is still trying to recover from it. The masked man returns and begins stalking him at home and work. After another victim stumbles into the young man's work place and sees the interaction between the Jester and young man, he decides to use the young man for his revenge on the Jester.
Relationships: The Jester (MakeDo)/White Shirt Guy (MakeDo)
Series: The Jester Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658596
Comments: 7
Kudos: 24





	The Jester Returns

**Author's Note:**

> I spoil Mr_Teapot too much.

He thrashed and squirmed, body entangled in blankets like a snake's coils. His eyes rapidly moving as he stirred violently in his sleep. A sheen of sweat coating his temples, body soaking his nightshirt like he’d fallen in a large body of water. He whimpered; eyebrows stitched together as his nightmare continued to terrorize him. He woke with a start, gasping for air as if he’d been under water the whole time. His heart racing like a wild mustang, slamming against his chest like galloping hooves.

The young man closed his eyes and steadied his breaths to calm his rampaging heart. He ran his hand through his short brown hair. He opened his eyes to see the time on his phone beside his bed. It was 3 AM.

“Another nightmare.” He said to himself and hugged his knees tighter. “Right on time.”

For the past year he had nightmares and woke up every night at 3am. The nightmare hardly ever changed. Sometimes back at the light post from last Halloween night or on that auditorium stage. It always involved him handcuffed, hurt or injured. And it always involved _him_. 

The Jester.

The young man would never forget the masked man in the orange suit. How could he? The man appeared out of thin air, stood under a streetlight, totally ominous, cut into his arm and wiped his blood on the ace of diamonds when he didn’t appreciate his card trick he then kidnapped him and brought him to an abandoned auditorium only to be tormented with more twisted tricks until finally the man “killed” him. He awoke back on the street where he was first kidnapped, unharmed. As if the injuries from the Jester’s encounter had been nothing more than a figment of his imagination. Of course, the two who found him confirmed they saw the Jester. A single red rose, and the bloodied ace of diamonds were beside him as some strange token of affection from the masked man.

He never saw the Jester in reality. No, he plagued his sleep.

He finally managed to calm down. The adrenaline ran its course and now sleep was calling him back. Thankfully he knew he’d be able to get back to sleep without fear of another nightmare.

* * *

The brunet walked into the bar he worked in. He clocked in at the back then slipped his apron on and went behind the bar.

Time flew by as it always did. Patrons constantly asking for drinks. He was good at his job and enjoyed making drinks, but he was awkward when it came to social interaction. Ladies would hit on him. Men challenged his masculinity. Sometimes vice versa. He could carry conversations well enough to earn decent tips, but he’d make more if he wasn’t an awkward shy man. Sometimes he wondered how he was ever hired.

It was night now and the bar was filled with a younger crowd, out for a good time and weekend partying. Some appeared in costumes which caught the young man’s attention. He glanced at his POS system and saw the date: October 5th. It wasn’t close to Halloween but apparently that didn’t matter to some people.

He finished making a Manhattan and gave the drinks to the patrons. He collected their empty glasses and walked to place it in the sink. He scanned over his bar top, making sure everyone had a drink until they stopped on a familiar mask. His eyes widened and his smile faded. The glasses in his hold dropped to the floor and shattered, catching the attention of his patrons. His heart was thumping against his chest as he stared at the familiar mask of the Jester.

Or so he thought.

The patron removed his mask and stared at him with concerned blue eyes.

“Yo man, you okay?” the patron asked.

The bartender took a deep breath and placed his hand over his heart again. He sighed in relief when he found the patron wasn’t the Jester. The Jester never spoke and never wore anything other than his orange suit and top hat. Plus, he vividly remembered the man behind the real Jester mask was a brunet not a blond like this one.

“Yeah...yeah I-I’m fine.” replied the bartender. 

His brown eyes shifting from the unmasked patron to the glass on the floor. He knelt and started picking up the glass and placed the shards in the nearby garbage. He glanced again at the unmasked patron, noting the differences in his mask from the Jester’s. Hearts instead of diamonds on the chin and forehead. The lips were black whereas the original torment had thin white lips. Lastly the diamonds under the eyes were red instead of black. Small things but he should’ve noticed the difference.

It was hard when that face haunted his dreams.

*********************************************************************

He walked home the same way he came. There was no one out except for a few stragglers and young people in costumes heading to clubs. The young man approached a familiar streetlamp and found himself hesitant to continue. He stared at it with eerie anticipation. He always found himself stopping to stare. Sometimes his imagination would place the Jester resting against the lamp post, swinging his cane and staring back at him. He shivered and held himself and walked past the post. He never understood why he continued to walk the same route. He always envisioned the Jester waiting for him again.

The young man turned the corner and smacked straight into a girl dressed up as a cat, colliding to the ground. The bartender looked up at the girl apologetically.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Her male companion, dressed as Waldo, snapped.

“Knock it off, Nate. It was an accident!” The girl snapped back at the guy named Nate.

“I, um, I’m sorry.” The young man said. He stood and offered his hand to the girl. She smiled at him and reached for his hand until Nate intersected it.

“Yeah, you should be sorry.” Nate snapped. He looked at the girl. “C’mon Steph, let’s get going to the party.” He shook his head and escorted her away from the bartender.

The bartender watched them walk the opposite direction. The girl glanced back at him and mouthed “sorry” then continued walking with her boyfriend.

“Nate, you’re such an asshole sometimes.” Steph snapped. “Something about Halloween just brings out the worst in you! You were an asshole to that guy and an asshole to that Jester guy last year.”

The bartender froze. He turned around and stared at the couple. “The Jester?”

They stopped and looked back at him. The girl blinked at him. “Yeah?”

“D-did he wear an orange suit?”

She smiled and nodded. “Yeah, he did! He was pretty cool!”

“He was _not_ cool! He played all those tricks and made a fool out of me!” disagreed with her boyfriend. “Then you became his little assistant and threw a knife at me!”

“Oh my god, Nate! I never threw a knife at you! You weren’t even hurt!”

Nate disregarded Steph and looked at the bartender. “Why? Do you know him? If you do you better tell me where he is!”

The bartender shook his head, eyes fell to the ground. “No, I don’t know him. I don’t _want_ to know him.” He looked at Nate. “I agree with you. He isn't cool at all.” He glanced at Steph. “You haven’t seen him...have you?”

She shook her head. Smile faltering in disappointment. “No, I haven’t seen him since last Halloween.”

“I hope we don’t see him again this year.” Snarled Nate. 

“Yeah...yeah me too. Anyways, have a nice night.” The brunet said and turned and continued his path home. 

_I’m not the only one who encountered the Jester._ He thought to himself. _He targeted her boyfriend because she didn’t appreciate his tricks like she did._ He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I wonder if he forced him to appreciate the tricks… like me.”

He trembled at the memory of the abandoned theater. He shook his head like he could erase it. He didn’t want to remember anything. He just wanted to go home and sleep.

* * *

The bartender returned home late the next night. His body fatigued, he struggled to keep his eyes open. His bed sounded amazing right about now.

He climbed up the stairs and reached his bedroom. He began shedding his work clothes, tossing them to the floor, dealing with them tomorrow. He climbed into his bed in nothing more than his briefs and socks. The moment his head touched his pillow he was asleep.

He woke up shivering in the middle of the night. He sat up and looked around with half roused eyes. He glanced at his clock to find it was almost 3am. He rubbed his eyes and hugged his shoulders when he felt a cold breeze brush by him. He glanced towards his window and halted when he found it wide open. He locked it when he left the house and he was too tired to open it when he got home.

Someone must have broken in.

He glanced around the room looking for evidence of anything stolen but there was no sign of anything. The young man slowly got up from his bed and moved towards his door. He listened for any noise but heard none. He cautiously explored his silent house and found nothing out of the ordinary. Confused, he returned to his bedroom and stared at the open window. He reached to shut it but froze when he looked out.

There was the Jester.

His hands folded on top of his cane staring up at the brunet like a scene from Romeo and Juliet. All the young man shook his head, denying his eyes what they were seeing. Unable to peel his eyes from as the masked man brought his gloved hands to his mask’s lips then gestured his hand towards the young man; He was blowing him a kiss.

The brunet quickly shut the window, locked it, then backed away. He was sure to be away from the Jester’s sight, but still felt like he could still be seen. He climbed back into his bed, bringing the covers to cover his body and continued staring at the window.

He stayed awake until the sun rose.

* * *

The bartender felt like he was being watched all day. He never managed to fall back asleep, so he was beyond exhausted. He was out of it and continued messing up until his boss sent him home.

Once he returned, he decided to take a nap. Thankfully he was able to fall asleep. He ended up sleeping until the night. When he awoke, he found his window open. He stared in frozen fear. Just as the night prior, he braved towards the window where he saw the Jester looking up at him.

This ended up happening every night. Once the bartender returned home from work, he would fall asleep and awaken to cold air caressing his skin. He’d see the window open and each time he got up to shut it the Jester would stare at him. Sometimes he “blew” kisses other times he would just stare with his hands folded over his cane and lately he would gesture for him to come down.

The young man _was not_ about that. 

Eventually he woke from his slumber and saw his window open he just went back to sleep. The first time he was afraid the Jester would climb in and kill him or something. He purchased a camera to record him sleeping to see if the Jester did in fact climb in. If he was murdered in his sleep at least someone would see on camera. When he went over the footage, he found the Jester never entered. So, he continued to just sleep the night away.

Until one morning.

He checked the footage and found the Jester had entered his bedroom. His heart stilled. The Jester climbed through his window then approached his bedside just to watch him sleep. A few times throughout the night he would pat his head, brush through his hair in a loving gesture and caress his cheek. As soon as the sun peeked through the horizon the Jester vanished in thin air.

The young man could not comprehend what he saw. After that night he made sure to lock the window again.

Several nights passed since then. It became a routine to wake up, shut and lock the window then return to sleep. He was no longer afraid of the Jester standing below his window. If anything, he was annoyed with his constant presence. However, this night was different. He woke up to the cold air, as usual, but when he opened his eyes the Jester was in his room.

He screamed and scurried into the corner of the bed. Out of reflex he grabbed his blanket and pulled it to his chin as if it could shield him. The Jester brought an index finger to the masked lips signaling him to be quiet. The young man quivered in fear, staring at the masked man with wide doe eyes. The Jester reached out to touch the young man’s face. The brunet flinched away.

“Wh-what do you want from me?” He stammered in a whisper.

The Jester stared at him for a moment. He dipped into the inside of his jacket and pulled out a single red rose then offered it to the brunet. The young man just stared at the rose; Deja Vu from the last time he received one. Afraid of what the masked man would do should he refuse; he hesitantly accepted the flower. 

“T-thank you.” He muttered. He looked at the rose in hand then glanced through his lashes at the other. 

The man in the orange suit straightened up and held his labels proudly

“Why a-are you here?” He asked, his voice cracking in fear. 

The Jester gestured towards the young man.

“Me?” He gasped in disbelief. “Why?”

The Jester didn’t answer.

The lack of answers and exhaustion was beginning to irritate the young man. This masked man was like an illness trying to enter and sicken his body. He just wanted to go on with his life. Work his mediocre job and not be stalked by some psycho in a clown mask.

“You just stand outside my window every night blowing kisses at me and then you crawl through my window to watch me sleep?! Why? I’m already stressed enough in my life without having to worry about you and your fixation on me. I apologized for not being appreciative the first time, but I don’t understand this. It’s not Halloween yet! So, what do you want?! What do you want with me?! Why can’t you leave me alone!? I don’t want anything to do with you!!” He shouted at the Jester and immediately regretted his words.

He’d pissed off the Jester. He could tell by his body language. Just like when he was unappreciative with his card trick the first time; head bowed slightly, tension in his back, hands dropped to his side and curled into fists.

The young man scooted back away from the angry man. He bumped into the wall and stared in fear at the other. The Jester reached into his jacket and pulled out his knife. The brunet flinched upon its sight. His fear tripled. Was he going to cut him? The Jester held the knife, showcasing it, before he stabbed it into his chest. The young man cried in horror, eyes growing bigger as the knife plunged deeper into the masked man’s chest. Blood poured out, staining his vest and suit and seeped onto the carpet.

The Jester made no sound. No indication of pain or anything. Once the knife was sunk deep enough, he removed the knife, disregarding the blood and reaching for the young man. The brunet cried out as the Jester spilled blood all over his blankets and gripped his wrist, pulling towards the open wound then trapped his hand inside. The brunet screamed, horrified, trying to pull away. His hand filled with the gush of his entrails, feeling more like his hand was in a warm pumpkin. He touched something at it moved. He shrieked and removed his hand but didn’t realize he yanked out the object out of the masked man’s chest. It was the Jester's heart, still beating in his hold. He stared horrified. He felt nauseous. He glanced at the Jester who placed his hand over the young man’s, forcing it to curl against the heart. The heart squeezed and then burst. Blood splattered everywhere on the walls and the young man’s face. He sat there frozen. Eyes impossibly wide, mouth agape. Hands trembling down his body until it shook like an avalanche.

The Jester adjusted himself as if nothing happened. He leaned over and flicked two fingers against his chest, just like with the card trick last year. The brunet glanced down at his chest. He didn’t know what he was looking for. He didn’t have a pocket to peek into, just a plain black shirt. He looked at the Jester leaning against his cane, waiting for something. Suddenly, the young man gripped his chest as pain struck his heart. Like someone had reached in and yanked it out; what the Jester just performed. He realized he was feeling what the Jester did not. He gaped, mortified, clinging to his chest as the pain became excruciating and unbearable. He felt his body go cold and numb then everything went black. 

The brunet gasped for breath as he shot up. He felt like he’d died and took his first breath of a reincarnated life. He panted and peered around to find it was morning. He clung to his chest as his heart thumped rapidly from the startled rise. He glanced at his room and found no blood stains on the floor nor his bed and no presence of the Jester. He wiped away the sweat from his face and found the rose the Halloween man produced last night on top of a blank card with a blood drawn broken heart.

He climbed out of bed with newborn foal legs and threw the rose out the window and ripped up the card. He went to take a long shower to calm himself. When he was finished, now calm and collected, he retrieved his hammer and a few nails and nailed his window shut. 

The window never opened again after that night.

* * *

The bar was busier than it had been. More people were dressed up as Halloween gradually grew closer. They called for him, asking for drinks and shots. He tried to keep up with the demands the best he could, but these partiers were savages and really wanted to get their drink on.

The bartender was making a cosmopolitan when he heard some girls call for his attention, yelling to take their order. He informed them he’d be with them shortly. He returned his attention to the task at hand, rolling his eyes and sighing in irritation. He finished the cosmos and delivered them to the ladies who ordered them. After they thanked him, he went to the group of obnoxious party girls and collected their drink orders.

“Why aren’t you dressed up for Halloween?” A ginger asked him. 

He offered a small smile. “It’s not Halloween yet.”

“You could still dress up for work. The other bartenders are.” Said another. 

“I don’t have a costume.” He replied. 

“How about after you’re off we can get you a cool costume. Maybe something skintight?” Her eyes flickered over his body. She bit her lip and winked at him.

His face flushed, feeling uncomfortable with the woman undressing him with her eyes. 

“Are you allowed to be shirtless?” asked a blonde.

“I bet you have a killer bod.” Another blonde added.

“I-I, no, um, I don’t. Not-not really.” He gestured behind himself. “I better go get these going for y-you.”

“Hurry back~” 

They started giggling. 

He walked away as fast as he could. He could hear them talk about how he was the cute shy type. He punched in their order into the POS system and began making their drinks. He tried not to throw any looks their way, but he could practically feel their eyes on him. He didn’t understand why. He wasn’t attractive like his other male coworkers. He considered himself decent but otherwise he thought he was as appealing as a snail. He’d finished their drinks, dreading the return to the women when his co-worker approached him and started collecting the drinks he’d just made.

“I’ve got these, dude. Can you get that one at the corner?”

“Yeah, yeah sure.” The bartender replied in relief to the other. He quickly walked away and approached the corner of the bar. “Welcome what can I get…” he glanced up and completely froze.

Again, there was another person with that Jester mask. However, this one wasn’t like the other.

It was him.

It was the Jester.

He was sitting at the bar, staring at him with his head resting on his hand.

“...you.” The young man barely whispered. 

His brown eyes wide in terror. His body froze completely. The room and noise around them seemed to fade in the background. Until it was only the Jester and his previous victim.

The Jester removed his hand from his head and bowed before the young man.

The young man backed against the wall of the bar. All he could do was stare and grip the edge of the counter. His heart and lungs caught in his throat while he stared in horror.

The Jester leaned forward and beckoned the bartender closer. The young man shook his head. He didn’t want to go anywhere near him. Especially after the other night. Was the masked man still angry with him? Would he pull another stunt like that? Would he harm him? He didn’t know. What the young man did know was that he didn’t want to move from his current spot.

“Dude!” His co-coworker pulled him from his trance. “Quit staring at the guy and take his order! He clearly wants you to get him a drink!”

The bartender frantically shook his head. “No, no, no, no, no! I can’t! I can’t go near him.”

“Why not?” His co-worker glanced at the Jester who simply waved each finger at him. “Seems friendly.” He waved back then turned to the bartender. “Do you know him?”

“Something like that.” The brunet replied. “Look, he just freaks me out, okay?”

“Hey, didn’t you freak out from a customer wearing that exact mask a few weeks ago?”

The bartender sighed. “Yes.”

“Look dude, get over it and get the guy’s drink. We’re swamped and don’t have time to deal with this! The sooner you take his order the sooner he’ll leave.” He grabbed the boy’s arm and gently pushed him towards the Jester.

The bartender just stood there staring at the Jester just as he had moments ago.

“H-h-hello.” He barely managed to say.

The Jester waved with his fingers as well.

The brunet bit his lip then swallowed the lump in his throat and asked the Jester if he wanted a drink. The Jester, of course, said nothing. Instead he gestured to the young man’s attire then at the other bartenders.

“I, um, don’t have a costume.” He squeaked. 

The Jester placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. Just like their first encounter when he “asked” the very same question. He removed his hat and offered for the bartender to reach inside. The boy was hesitant. He didn’t want to go near him. The patrons watching urged him to participate in the trick. He rejected but after seeing the Jester’s shoulders tensed, he knew he had to or else something bad would happen to him again. He reluctantly dipped into the hat, feeling around until he felt the fabric. He pulled out a red bow tie, white gloves and a small bowler hat. A magician’s costume. 

The masked man made the “ta-dah” motion. The patrons applauded to which he bowed graciously then returned his attention to the young man, waiting for him to react. 

The young man offered an off smile. “Thank you”

He didn’t want to put it on. Not at all. However, the patrons started chanting for him to put it on—peer pressuring him. Not wanting to anger the masked man either he reluctantly put it on. 

The patrons cheered while he put it on. They clapped and cheered louder when he was fully dressed. He smiled awkwardly and bowed a little. The Jester applauded enthusiastically. 

His cheeks became warm and red from the attention he was receiving. He heard his co-worker call for him and thanked God he was needed elsewhere. He glanced back at the Jester and asked again if he wanted a drink. The Jester waved his hands no but continued to stare at him. 

The bartender couldn’t get away from the masked man fast enough. He rushed to the other side of the bar to attend to the new thirsty patrons. 

All night he kept himself busy and away from the Jester. Everyone complimented his costume and it surprisingly earned him more tips. He tried to avert his eyes from where the silent man sat but he started performing little tricks to the patrons which excited them all. Their commotion drew his attention a few times and each time he glanced over the Jester turned to stare at him. Like he knew when he’d look over.

The end of his shift finally came. The bar had died down significantly. There were only a few patrons at the bar. The young man glanced over to the bar. He sighed in relief when he saw The Jester was gone. He felt the tension in his shoulders gone and could breathe again. He was able to relax and concentrate on his closing duties.

He removed his costume and placed it inside his locker for his next shift. He figured he’d keep it since he earned more tips tonight than any night before. When it was safely tucked away, he removed his apron and walked out the back of bar ready to make his trek home. It was colder than it had been the past few nights. A light breeze caused goosebumps to awake from his skin. He wished he had his sweater. He trembled and held himself as he walked away from his work. The bartender barely took five steps when he saw the Jester standing at the end of the alley way.

He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to run more than anything, but the Jester blocked his path. And even if he could get by the man could vanish and reappear in a blink of a second. And if he escaped would the Jester pursue after him? He wanted something from him. He didn’t understand what that was. He’d asked about it those nights ago and that just resulted in the man stabbing himself and literally ripped his heart out. Whatever that was about scared the shit out of him. 

“Hello” the young man greeted him. He was still terrified of the unpredictable man and more than anything he wished their paths hadn’t crossed. He took a step back. “You...um, the customers loved your tricks.” He decided to make light conversation. Maybe he would go away and leave him alone. He just prayed he wouldn’t try to do another trick for him.

The Jester gestured to the bartender.

“Oh, uh, I l-left my costume inside to wear tomorrow.”

The masked man clapped and jumped enthusiastically. The young man glanced at the apron in his hands then around awkwardly. He felt trapped but he needed to go home.

“Well, uh, I need to go home now. H-Have a good night.” 

He tried to bypass the Jester like their first encounter. The masked man stepped towards him. The bartender flinched, afraid of what the man was going to do to him. He peered through his lashes at the Jester who seemed to be studying him. He brought his gloved hand to the young man’s face and gently caressed his cheek. The bartender whimpered and closed his eyes tightly. His heart thumping against his chest, body shaking, knees feeling like rubber. He wanted this to stop. The man’s mere presence was enough to make him pee himself. However, he held still and allowed the Jester to touch him for fear of his reaction to refusal. He felt the Jester’s fingers dip under his chin and gently lifted his face. He opened his eyes and looked at the dark eye holes. He hadn’t noticed a few tears escaped until the masked man wiped them away with his other thumb. The Jester removed his hands from his face and reached for the hands at his sides and held them in his.

It was odd to be standing in the back alley with his hands held by his masked tormentor. The Jester rubbed his thumbs over his knuckles in an affectionate manner. He got the feeling the masked man was apologizing for the other night. The sentiment was appreciated but he wouldn’t forgive him so easily.

A breeze brushed by his arms and caused him to tremble. The Jester took notice and skimmed along the cold arms then gestured them.

“I forgot my sweater at home.” The young man replied to the unasked question.

The Jester shook his hands and head. He unbuttoned his jacket and in a blink of an eye the blazer was draped over the bartender’s shoulder. The Jester smelt of pumpkin spice and candy. There was also a hint of something almost foul, but the other aromas masked it well. The bartender just held still and looked at the Jester standing proudly with his hands on his vest. 

“I-Uh, thank you, that’s...very nice of you-” the Jester puffed up his chest. “-but, I’m okay. It’s not that cold.” He lied again.

The Jester held up an index finger and shook it twice. He gestured to the young man’s arms and mimicked his current posture.

He started to remove the blazer. “I’m fine, really. It’s not a far walk to my home.” 

He started peeling the jacket off but stopped when he noticed the Jester’s stance. He could feel the familiar darkness that followed when the man was mad. Again, the Jester held his index finger and shook it. The young man stared. He didn’t know what to do. Or rather he did. He semi-reluctantly placed the blazer back over his shoulders. The Jester relaxed and straightened up.

The bartender stared at his feet then up at the Jester burning holes into his skull. He glanced around the cold silent night, not know what to say or do so he just stood there awkwardly for a moment then decided to start walking. He just wanted to go home and hoped the Jester wouldn’t stop him this time.

To his amazement the Jester allowed him to pass. To his surprise he walked beside him.

“Um... w-what are you doing?” The bartender asked, uncomfortably.

The Jester motioned to himself then the brunet and the path ahead of them.

“You’re walking me home?” 

The masked man nodded.

The walk was surprisingly not too bad. He was grateful for the jacket when the wind picked up and kept him warm. The silence was still awkward but at least he didn’t have to talk and could stay in his thoughts. When they reached his house, the Jester walked him to his door. The young man looked at the taller standing patiently beside him. The brunet removed the jacket and returned it to its owner.

“Thank you.” He said quietly.

The Jester accepted the coat and put it on. He reached for the bartender’s hand. The boy flinched but allowed his hand to be taken. The Jester brought it to his masked lips and “kissed” it.

He stood there awkwardly and just let his hand drop after the “kiss”. He turned to unlock his door. When the it opened, he glanced at the Jester standing with his hands clasped over his cane.

“Please, don’t stand outside my window or enter my room anymore.” He knew his window was nailed but the Jester didn’t.

The Jester tapped his mask’s chin in thought then bowed lightly.

The brunet offered him a small smile. “Thank you. G-good night.”

He entered his house and closed and locked the front door. He sighed in relief then dared to peek out the peephole.

The Jester was gone.

* * *

A few days passed. The Jester kept his agreement and stopped waiting outside his window at night (he was able to sleep soundly now that the nightmares ended, and the man left him alone). However, it seemed the Jester exchanged his nightly visits to make an appearance at the bar. He never ordered a drink, instead sat at his corner, entertaining the patrons with his tricks. This brought more business to the bar which the owner was ecstatic about that. No one knew where he came from or why until they watched him escort their bartender home after work every night. They also observed how the man had taken a liking to him and the flirtatious magic tricks he’d perform when the bartender was near. They asked him a million questions about his identity and their relationship. The young man answered honestly: he didn’t know and there was none.

It was a week before Halloween and surprisingly the bar was slow. There were only a few patrons scattered throughout the building aside from the crowd watching the Jester.

A grumpy middle-aged man sat at the other end of the bar, glaring at the annoying crowd of young people. He glared at them, hating their loudness and the one causing it. He gritted his teeth as he waited impatiently for a fucking bartender to show up. He was about to shout for service but stopped when he saw a break in the crowd and revealed who was at the center of it. 

The Jester.

A mix of fear and anger brewed inside him. He remembered that fuck well. He’d disturbed his peaceful Halloween last year. He just wanted to watch his show, not be disturbed by snot-nosed kids and their stupid Halloween. But that freak with the kid wouldn’t take no for an answer. He tried to fight him away with his bat but somehow the Jester was more cunning and ended up knocking himself out and glued him to a chair. It was the Jester who did that to him. It took him hours to free himself and it enraged him to be bested by some freak in a clown mask. He vowed to take his revenge should he ever find him. And there he was performing mediocre magic tricks and pulling cheap candy from ears. He scoffed and glowered spitefully towards the masked man. The women were throwing themselves at him despite his unimpressive tricks. 

The grumpy man shook his head. Not understanding young women these days. The bartender finally made an appearance. He was a young thing, maybe mid-twenties, short brown hair and eyes. He was dressed as a magician, black bowel hat, red bowtie and gloves.

The bartender noticed him sitting at the end of the bar and moved to approach him.

“S-sorry, I didn’t know anyone was out here.” the bartender apologized. The kid placed a coaster in front of him and offered a small smile.

“Maybe don’t hide in the fucking back and you’d know.” He snapped.

“I’m the only bartender working and since it’s slow I was just grabbing some-”

“I don’t give a fuck. I just want a drink. Give me a Manhattan and step on it! It’s not like you have anyone else buying drinks here.” He snarled and glowered at the Jester.

The boy physically flinched and nodded. “C-coming right up.”

He turned to the back bar and began making his drink. The man watched him stumble and spill some of it. He rolled his eyes but observed the way the Jester stared at him. He then noted the Jester’s body language. He wasn’t interested in any flirtatious advances from the women. He simply bowed or clapped after his trick, but the boy had the Jester’s full undivided attention. The bartender glanced up when the Jester whistled at him.

Odd. He never heard the freak make a single peep.

The young bartender stopped and looked at him with a cute innocent face. The masked man held one gloved hand open in front of him, revealing his palm then flicked his wrist and closed his hand. Next, he brought his other hand and collided them both and rubbed them together. Finally, he opened his hands and a single red rose appeared out of thin air. The audience applauded as the Jester gave the rose to the bartender. The boy smiled awkwardly with blushed cheeks and accepted the rose. The girls giggled amongst each other and muttered how envious they were.

“That’s interesting.” The man mumbled to himself. 

The boy quickly returned to him with his drink.

“S-sorry about that.” 

“Maybe tell your boyfriend to wait until you're off the clock when you’ve got _paying_ customers to attend to.” He snapped.

The kid flushed and looked at him sheepishly. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Oh no? Looks like one to me.” He snapped and took a sip out of what was probably the best Manhattan he’d ever had. He glanced at the kid with the unsure face. He then realized this was it. This was how he could get his revenge on the clown. He was interested in this kid. He smiled maliciously and took another sip of his drink.

“So, who the fuck is he if he’s not your boyfriend.” The man barked the question. He feigned interest in the question but was curious about his masked foe. Any information he could gather would to use against the freak was welcomed. 

The boy sighed heavily. “I don’t know.”

“So what? Are his cheap magic tricks an attempt to impress you or something?”

Again, the bartender shook his head. “I don’t know. I met him last Halloween.”

The man stiffened. The boy encountered him last year too.

“Oh, did you?” He asked coolly.

“Yeah it...it wasn’t very pleasant.” A customer called for him. He turned and looked at the grumpy man. “Excuse me.” He left to the other patron. 

The grumpy man eyed the bartender with keen interest. So, the boy didn’t have a grand time either. Had the clown shown remorse with the boy and now showed him remorse? Surely, he couldn’t have been worse than his own experience. Or perhaps the Jester had been a little too sweet towards the bartender. That would explain the flirtatious advances.

He decided to tail the boy and see their interaction outside his work.

The man waited outside the bar. He was far enough not to be noticed but close enough to see. The last thing he needed was the clown seeing before his scheme was in place. 

He cursed and grumbled under his breath. He was about to call it quits from the sheer cold but caught sight of the Jester’s orange suit and stride walk beside the bartender. The Jester’s jacket was draped over the boy’s shoulders like a teenage couple.

He crept after them in the shadows, like a vampire hunting his victim. He always kept at a distance and followed them into the suburbs. It appeared the Jester was walking his boyfriend home. They reached his house and where the kid returned the Jester’s jacket. The masked fiend brought the boy’s hand to his lips in a kiss then watched the other enter the house. He stood there watching the door like a puppy hoping to be let in from the cold.

After several minutes passed the man checked his watch and when he looked up, he saw the Jester was looking in his direction. Thankfully there were still people about to shield him from the Jester’s gaze, but he had a distinct feeling the Jester knew he was there. He fell back into the shadows and made his journey home with a malevolent grin plan brewing in his mind.

* * *

The young man sat in his kitchen drinking a glass of coffee that Halloween morning. He was exhausted from frequently working and was now enjoying a day off. He traced the rim of the mug and stared at the warm cream color. His mind playing his thoughts like a conductor in a symphony. 

The Jester had walked him home, just like every other night, and in his silent way asked to accompany him for Halloween. The brunet hadn’t planned on doing anything other than stay home and pass out candy. Just a nice relaxing night alone. If he was being honest, he became accustomed to the Jester’s presence. It wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but it wasn’t completely enjoyable. He was still on edge whenever the Jester was near, but he didn’t seem to harm him or scare him as much as he had. He guessed it had something to do with the masked man’s “apology” that one night. He’d just made sure to appreciate the Jester’s tricks because in all honesty the man was trying to get him into the holiday spirit. Even cheer him up in more ways than one. And or impress him.

The Jester liked him. It was plain and simple. He’d known since their first encounter but buried it under the fear. He wasn’t exactly sure _why_ and probably never would. He had a million reasons to say no but found himself agreeing. He wasn’t sure it was from fear of rejection or loneliness he accepted. Whatever the reason, he’d had said yes and would be accompanying the Jester that night.

The young man finished his coffee and made a simple breakfast. When he finished eating, he went upstairs for a shower. He changed into a red V-neck with dark grey pants. When he was dressed for the day, he left the house to run some errands.

When he returned home, he decorated his house with a few cheap decorations. He poured a few bags of candy in a bowl and placed it on the end table near the door. Once his house was set up for the evening, he made himself a quick lunch and caught up on some TV shows.

The sun barely began to set when he heard his doorbell ring. He glanced at his watch; confused why the Trick-or-Treaters started early. He guessed they just really wanted their candy. However, there was no sound. No childish giggles of excitement nor the night’s phrase said. Just silence. He got up from his couch, thinking that perhaps the Jester was early but that added more confusion; he never saw the Jester any earlier that twilight. Perhaps Halloween was an exception.

The young man got up from the couch and looked out the peephole. It wasn’t a trick-or-treater nor the Jester. In fact, the man had his back facing him while he stared at the neighborhood. He cautiously opened the door and stared at the person with arched brows.

“Um, hello?” the young man greeted him.

The man turned at the sound of his voice. The boy instantly recognized him as the asshole patron from the other night.

The grumpy man remained just as grumpy as before. “Remember me?”

“Uh, yeah? You were at the bar a few nights ago. Uh, how can I help you?”

The young man wasn’t sure if the patron was his neighbor that he’d never notice. A chilling thought ran through his mind. What if the man followed him home from the bar? Or was he stalking him but never noticed with his distraction on the Jester?

“We need to talk.” He stated. He glared with cold angry blue eyes.

“A-about what? Your drink or something?”

“How about we talk inside?” the man suggested almost angrily.

The brunet shook his head. “No, we can talk about whatever out here.”

The man growled and gritted his teeth. He reached into his coat and pulled out a Ruger Mark pistol from within his jacket and aimed it at the young man. The brunet gasped and attempted to shut the door on him however the man pushed against him. The door smacked him in the head and caused him to fall. His disadvantage allowed the invader a chance to enter his home.

The grumpy man aimed the gun at the younger. “Get up!” the man barked.

He slowly obeyed. He picked himself off the floor and held his hands up. “Hey, c-come on. I-I didn’t do anything to you.”

“Shut up!” The man snarled. He reached for the younger’s arm and dragged him over into the living room. He threw the brunet onto his couch and stood in front of him with the gun aimed at his head. “Where is he?”

“W-who?”

“The Jester!”

The brunet blinked at him. “The Jester?”

“Where the fuck is he!?” The man shouted and stepped closer pointing the gun at his head.

The young man flinched. “I-I don’t know!”

“What do you mean you don’t know?!”

“I-I only see him at night! I don’t know where he is! I swear!” The brunet was shaking.

“I think you’re lying to me.” He accused through his teeth.

“W-why would I lie to you? You’re pointing a gun to my head!”

“To protect your boyfriend!”

“He’s not my-”

“Shut up! I fucking saw you two. He walked you home from work and kissed your hand. He did that every single night for the past few days. Don’t you fucking lie and say otherwise!!”

So, he was watching him. What was with this month and weirdos stalking him?!

“What did he even do to you? All he does is sit in the bar and perform tricks-” The brunet stopped when realization hit him. He was also a victim to the Jester’s cruel tricks. Just like the Waldo guy and himself. The brunet looked at him. “You met him before, didn’t you? Probably last Halloween? And fell victim to one of his cruel tricks?”

The man narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that?”

He gestured to himself. “I-I was also a victim of his last Halloween.”

The man studied him a minute, considering what he said before he scoffed and said, “Nice try, kid.”

“It’s true! He-“

“Shut up!” The man screeched causing the brunet to flinch. “I don’t want to hear any sob story with you trying to sympathize with me. It’s not gonna work, kid.” He reached for the boy's arm and brought him to his feet. He brought him closer and nearly jammed the pistol into his skull. “If you won’t tell me where he is then you’ll make him come to me!”

*********************************************************************

There had been a scuffle between the brunet and the invader. He tried to grab the gun and when that didn’t work, he tried to flee and call the cops. The man shot him in the leg. The brunet put up a fight despite the pain which ended with the man kicking his face and ribs, bloody nose, left black eye, bruises on his cheeks and a split lip. The man stunned him enough to leave the house and return in a millisecond with rope. He grabbed him from the floor and tied him to a kitchen chair he brought to the living room.

The man entered his house after making another trip from who knows with a gag in his hold. He had been planning this. Ever since that night at the bar he’d planned to use him as bait.

Their eyes met for a moment and he scoffed at the younger’s pathetic attempt for puppy eyes. 

“Don’t think you can bat those eyes at me, kid. I’m not your freak of a boyfriend.”

The boy sighed through his nose. “I told you-” his voice cracked from the earlier abuse. “-he's not my boyfriend.”

The man growled and stormed up to him and jammed the pistol into the boy's skull. “And I told _you_ I don’t want to hear it!”

The younger glared at him after the man smacked him with the back of the gun and walked away. 

The man kept impatiently peeping at his watch. He glowered over to the boy and pointed the gun at him. “You better hope he comes for you, kid.”

“What did I even do to _you_?!” Asked the younger. He didn’t understand why his life was threatened. He was an innocent bystander in all this. “I have nothing to do with your beef with the Jester!”

“You’re involved with _him_. That makes you part of it.” He walked over the boy and grabbed a fistful of hair and forced him to look at him. “You better shut up or I’ll make you bleed worse than these.”

He slammed the hilt into the side of his head, breaking the skin and causing it to bleed. 

The young man cried out but glared as the other walked away. “Do...do you think you have any chance to get your stupid revenge on him? He outsmarted you. I know he did, and he will do it again!”

The man bent down until they were eye level then he sneered, “Anger results in mistakes. He’ll fuck up one way or another.”

The young man shook his head. “No, he won’t.”

The doorbell called their attention. They froze until they heard “Trick-or-Treat!” The young man tried to call out for help, but his captor stuffed a gag into his mouth. The man didn’t answer the door that time not any other times. He simply approached the door, looked out the peephole and when the Jester wasn’t there, he returned to aim the gun at his prisoner’s head.

An hour later there was a knock.

The man’s heart skipped a beat seeing the Jester. He simply unlocked the door then walked over to his victim and held the gun to his temple and waited. The door opened and the Jester entered the house. He entered but stopped in the foyer when he saw the bartender tied to a chair, face beaten, swollen and bloody with a gun pointed to his head.

“Glad you could make it, fucker.” His captor snarled at the Jester. He gripped the back of the boy’s neck jammed the gun into his head earning a little whimper. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

The Jester’s shoulders tensed. His head turned to the brunet in the chair. He took a step towards them.

“Ah ah ah” He tsked and cocked the gun and held his prisoner tighter. “Take one more step and I’ll blast his brains out like I almost did his leg.” He smirked.

The Jester halted. His head bowed and the shadows of the room enveloped around him making his anger more visible and frightening. He leaned forward on his cane and held up a single index finger and wagged it once. 

That angered the man even more. He moved to pull the trigger but then felt something stab his hand and drop the gun. He stared at the knife sticking out with blood oozing down. He growled and yanked it out then glowered at the Jester and charged for him like a rampaging bull. 

The masked man simply stepped aside from the assault then dodged this way and that as the man tried to stab him with his own knife. The Jester used his cane to slam into the man’s gut then his head. The man curled over and held his gut. The Jester walked past him towards the brunet. He dipped into his jacket and pulled out another knife to cut through the rope. He removed the gag from the younger’s mouth then grazed his thumb along his bleeding cheek. 

The brunet flinched and averted his gaze from the inappropriate intimate moment. He glanced behind the Jester and saw the man recovering. The man was glaring daggers at the Jester. He picked up the knife and ran towards him.

“Behind you!” The brunet warned.

The man gripped the back of the Jester’s jacket and moved to slam the knife into his head. However, he stabbed air and held the orange jacket. The Jester vanished before their eyes. Both stared at each other and the confusion and bewilderment of what just happened. However, the man eyed the boy and aimed to stab him instead. Yet he felt something hook around his neck and fell on his back. The Jester stood over him with the knife glistening in his hand.

He moved to slam the knife into the man’s skull but stopped when the brunet shouted, “Don’t!”

The Jester glanced at the young man still tied. He was shaking his head at the Jester. He didn’t want to see anyone die even though the man had threatened his own life. 

The masked man continued to stare at him as he considered it. However, he pondered too long. The man below gained his second wind and jammed the knife into the Jester’s side. No sound came from the masked man. Instead he looked down at the knife. He pulled it out, blood staining his jacket, and looked at it then at the man staring back with wide eyes.

The tension in the room became suffocating. The shadows of the room clouded the lights, still managing to flicker with life. It gave the masked man a sinister look. It truly terrified the man on the ground. He was quick to react when the Jester tried to stab him again. The man rolled out of the way and dodged the Jester’s strikes. His panicked blue eyes searching the darkened room for his gun. He found it and ran for it, dodging some of the Jester’s attacks but not unscathed. The knife slashed him across the back and his arms and hands. He was lucky that was it. He wasn’t sure if the kid was an influence or not for mild assaults.

He glanced over at the boy still tied, struggling to free himself. A venomous smile grew on his lips. If he couldn’t get his revenge by killing the Jester, then he would get it by killing the boy.

The young man watched the struggle between the Jester and his captor. He wrestled against the rope, trying to free himself from the one incision the Jester managed to make. He was surprised to see his captor managing to fight off the Jester. He was also astonished he landed a hit on the masked man. He just hoped he could free himself from the ropes fast enough to call the police and get this insane freak arrested.

As if the universe heard him, he managed to break free from the ropes. He tried to stand up with his weak leg and after failing the first two times he finally stood up. He ignored the men fighting and limped his way towards his phone on the coffee table. He managed to grab it just when he heard the man tell him to freeze.

He glanced over and saw him aim the gun towards him. He froze and stared at the firearm. The man grinned maliciously and pulled the trigger.

He saw the bullet leave the firearm and aim directly towards his heart. He couldn’t move. His feet planted to the ground like tree roots to the soil. All he could do is stand there in terror as his heart tried to escape out of his chest. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to erupt from either the bullet or his heart jumping ship. 

However, the pain never came.

The young man opened his eyes and found the reason. The Jester was hugging him, shielding him from the bullet as it penetrated through his back. His brown eyes wide, staring at the mask of his savior. He glanced down to see if there was blood or if the man would fall to the ground. There was blood but he made no motion to move. Instead he cupped the young man’s face in a warm embrace. He silently sighed as he held the boy’s face. The bullet did not pierce him.

The Jester straightened up and slowly turned to face the man still aiming the gun at them. The masked man was _pissed_. He stomped towards the man, absorbing the bullets like a sponge and blocking any that dared threatened his lover. 

The man was terrified of the Jester’s wrath. Firing until he emptied the whole clip into the masked man’s body. There was blood dripping and staining his body, but he walked as if everything was fine. He pulled out a knife from within his jacket and flicked it. The knife struck the man’s collar bone. He cried out and dropped the empty gun and moved to remove the knife. Before he could, his hands were handcuffed together. He panicked and tried to free himself, but the Jester squat in front of him. He brought up his index finger and wagged it three times. Next, he reached behind and pulled out the silver mask. The man screamed in terror as the mask magically appeared on his face. The man fell silent. The Jester pulled out his purple cloak and covered the man in it.

The lights in the house went out.

When they turned back on the room returned to normal and the Jester and his captor were gone.

* * *

The young man stepped out of the bathroom in his black briefs and white V-neck shirt. His mind replaying the day’s events and his thoughts wondering what happened to his captor. Had the Jester taken him to the abandoned theater? What was he doing to him? Obviously, that man was in a world of pain but to what extent? Should he even care? The man tied him up and had every intention of killing him for the stupid sake of his revenge. A failure from the beginning.

He’d gone to the hospital after the whole fiasco. They cleaned and bandaged his injuries then addressed the bullet and stitched him up. Thankfully, the wound wasn’t deep to where he needed surgery. They simply plucked out the bullet and stitched him up. When they asked what happened he simply told them it was Halloween shenanigans. They’d given him a note excusing him from work for a few weeks.

The young man limped down the hallway. He just wanted to go to sleep. It was almost midnight. Body and mind mentally exhausted from the night’s events. He opened the door to his bedroom and stopped when he saw the once nailed window open and the Jester standing in front of it. For once he was relieved to see him.

“Y-you’re okay.” The brunet noted. He knew he would. It was a stupid thing to say but he was still relieved. 

He took a step towards him and noted the blood almost painting his suit a new color. He stopped. “Is this his blood or yours?” He glanced up at the mask. “Is he still alive?”

The Jester brought a single finger to his masked lips. That wasn’t reassuring.

The Jester took a step towards him and cupped his chin, making him look at him. He examined the tended injuries on his face. He gestured to the wounds.

“I’m okay. I went to the hospital and got taken care of.” He stared into the black eye holes of the mask. “T-thank you for protecting me from getting shot.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Sorry we didn’t get to celebrate Halloween together.”

The Jester ran his hand through the boy’s hair and held the back of his head. A moment later he felt the masked man lean in and then felt lips on his. His eyes snapped open at the warm soft mouth on his. He gazed at the Jester and saw his mask was lifted just enough to reveal his mouth. He couldn’t see much from the darkness of the late night, but he could see the burnt markings on his neck went up to his lips, yet they were just as warm and soft as his own. They actually felt rather nice.

The young man closed his eyes and indulged in the kiss. The Jester tasted like candy. He found himself wanting more. He kissed the Jester back, teeth gently nibbling on his bottom lip like a soft gummy treat. His tongue slipped in between lip embraces. The Jester devoured his lips like biting into a strawberry. The hand on the young man’s head tightened and the other gloved hand wrapped around his lower waist, bringing their bodies close. The brunet wrapped his arms around the Jester’s neck and for a quick second he considered removing the mask to see the face underneath, but he decided against it. Maybe there was a reason why he bore a mask. Perhaps it was because of those marks. Regardless, he left it on, not wanting to have a Phantom of the Opera moment.

The younger pressed his lips into the other’s trying to mend them as one, deserting the idea of air when the Jester tasted so sweet. He moaned and kissed the Jester like he was the first sign of water after being stranded in the desert. No sounds came from those silent lips except for the light panting as their kiss drew more enticing.

The Jester pulled away from the brunet. The young man was gasping for air he didn’t realize he’d been deprived of. His lips were swollen and his cheeks red. He looked up at the Jester who still only had his mouth exposed.

“Who are you?” He asked him.

The Jester’s mouth curled into a smile, but no words came out. The masked man cupped his face and planted a tender kiss upon those lips. 

Suddenly, the young man felt lightheaded. His eyelids grew heavy and found himself collapsing into the arms of the Jester and then everything went black.

*********************************************************************

The next morning the young man woke up to the cold chill. He sat up and found himself in his bed. He glanced at his phone and found it was 10 AM on November 1st. He stared at the open window and saw something sitting on his windowsill. He got out of bed and limped towards it. He found a red rose and the Jester’s mask. His fingertips trailed along the etches of the mask. He glanced out the window and found a small smile on his lips.

“See you next year.” He said and collected the mask and rose then shut the window.


End file.
